Ebu Gogo

Relatively recently, the remains of small, human-like creatures that existed at the same time as modern humans have been found in Indonesia. Although most scientists have now accepted homo floresiensis as a separate species, they are still trying to figure out where it fits in with what we already know about human origins, according to a recent NY Times article.

Science is typically slow to accept new discoveries. Eugene Dubois, who found “the missing link” (Java man, coincidentally also found in Indonesia) died an unhappy man – his discovery was not accepted as authentic until after his death. [See “The Man Who Found the Missing Link, by Pat Shipman.]

Everything that we know so far is based on what we have found. Just because we haven’t found evidence of other little people around the world yet, doesn’t mean that it is not there. There are stories from all over the world about little people: fairies, pixies, leprechauns and goblins to name just a few. And it turns out that there are local legends on the Island of Flores, about a small, hairy human-like creature: the Ebu Gogo.

Although archaeologists are calling homo floresiensis “hobbits,” and have found tools associated with their remains,

if they are indeed the Ebu Gogo of local legend, they were probably much more like Gollum or Goblins, stealing and eating anything they could get their hands on, and not even knowing how to cook.

Are the Ebu Gogo and homo floresiensis the same beings? Could they still exist?